Title

Author

Date of Award

5-1-1971

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Dr. Harl A. Dalstrom

Abstract

Following World War II the United States Government made world commitments which were no less than revolutionary. Sooner or later President Harry S. Truman had to come to a showdown with his critics, for the conservatives and pre-World War II isolationists never readily accepted America's new position in world affairs. As frustration mounted, right wing elements of the Republican Party combined with a few dissident Democrats to challenge the Administration in its handling of foreign affairs. The fall of China followed a short time later by aggression in Korea solidified the Truman critics and opened what amounted to a major discussion of foreign policy goals and the means of achieving those ends. The debate attracted the attention of a growing Air Force lobby and, at the same time, lent itself to political gain for a party long absent from the White House. Like the various opinions expressed at the time, the implications were wide-ranging.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of History and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebrasaka at Omaha In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts. Copyright 1971, Gary L. Ruppert